the monster men(魔鬼一样的人)-第11章
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〃You are getting along nicely； Jack；〃 he said kindly； looking over the
other's shoulder and using the name which had been adopted at his
suggestion to lend a more human tone to their relations with the nameless
man。
〃Yes；〃 replied the other； looking up with a smile。 〃Professor Maxon
says that in another day or two I may come and live in his own house； and
again meet his beautiful daughter。 It seems almost too good to be true
that I shall actually live under the same roof with her and see her every
daysit at the same table with herand walk with her among the beautiful
trees and flowers that witnessed our first meeting。 I wonder if she will
remember me。 I wonder if she will be as glad to see me again as I shall
be to see her。〃
〃Jack；〃 said von Horn； sadly； 〃I am afraid there is a terrible and
disappointing awakening for you。 It grieves me that it should be so； but it
seems only fair to tell you； what Professor Maxon either does not know or
has forgotten； that his daughter will not look with pleasure upon you when
she learns your origin。
〃You are not as other men。 You are but the accident of a laboratory
experiment。 You have no soul； and the soul is all that raises man above
the beasts。 Jack； poor boy； you are not a human beingyou are not even
a beast。 The world； and Miss Maxon is of the world； will look upon you
as a terrible creature to be shunned a horrible monstrosity far lower in
the scale of creation than the lowest order of brutes。
〃Look；〃 and the man pointed through the window toward the group of
hideous things that wandered aimlessly about the court of mystery。 〃You
are of the same breed as those； you differ from them only in the symmetry
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of your face and features； and the superior development of your brain。
There is no place in the world for them； nor for you。
〃I am sorry that it is so。 I am sorry that I should have to be the one to
tell you； but it is better that you know it now from a friend than that you
meet the bitter truth when you least expected it； and possibly from the lips
of one like Miss Maxon for whom you might have formed a hopeless
affection。〃
As von Horn spoke the expression on the young man's face became
more and more hopeless； and when he had ceased he dropped his head into
his open palms； sitting quiet and motionless as a carven statue。 No sob
shook his great frame； there was no outward indication of the terrible grief
that racked him inwardlyonly in the pose was utter dejection and
hopelessness。
The older man could not repress a cold smileit had had more effect
than he had hoped。
〃Don't take it too hard； my boy；〃 he continued。 〃The world is wide。 It
would be easy to find a thousand places where your antecedents would be
neither known nor questioned。 You might be very happy elsewhere and
there a hundred thousand girls as beautiful and sweet as Virginia Maxon
remember that you have never seen another； so you can scarcely judge。〃
〃Why did he ever bring me into the world？〃 exclaimed the young man
suddenly。 〃It was wickedwicked terribly cruel and wicked。〃
〃I agree with you；〃 said von Horn quickly； seeing another possibility
that would make his future plans immeasurably easier。 〃It was wicked；
and it is still more wicked to continue the work and bring still other
unfortunate creatures into the world to be the butt and plaything of cruel
fate。〃
〃He intends to do that？〃 asked the youth。
〃Unless he is stopped；〃 replied von Horn。
〃He must be stopped；〃 cried the other。 〃Even if it were necessary to
kill him。〃
Von Horn was quite satisfied with the turn events had taken。 He
shrugged his shoulders and turned on his heel toward the outer campong。
〃If he had wronged me as he has you； and those others；〃 with a gesture
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toward the court of mystery； 〃I should not be long in reaching a decision。〃
And with that he passed out； leaving the door unlatched。
Von Horn went straight to the south campong and sought out
Bududreen。 Motioning the Malay to follow him they walked across the
clearing and entered the jungle out of sight and hearing of the camp。
Sing； hanging clothes in the north end of the clearing saw them depart； and
wondered a little。
〃Bududreen；〃 said von Horn； when the two had reached a safe distance
from the enclosures； 〃there is no need of mincing matterssomething must
be done at once。 I do not know how much you know of the work that
Professor Maxon has been engaged in since we reached this island； but it
has been hellish enough and it must go no further。 You have seen the
creatures in the campong next to yours？〃
〃I have seen；〃 replied Bududreen； with a shudder。
〃Professor Maxon intends to wed one of these to his daughter；〃 von
Horn continued。 〃She loves me and we wish to escapecan I rely on you
and your men to aid us？ There is a chest in the workshop which we must
take along too； and I can assure you that you all will be well rewarded for
your work。 We intend merely to leave Professor Maxon here with the
creatures he has created。〃
Bududreen could scarce repress a smileit was indeed too splendid to
be true。
〃It will be perilous work； Captain；〃 he answered。 〃We should all be
hanged were we caught。〃
〃There will be no danger of that； Bududreen； for there will be no one
to divulge our secret。〃
〃There will be the Professor Maxon；〃 urged the Malay。 〃Some day he
will escape from the island； and then we shall all hang。〃
〃He will never escape；〃 replied von Horn； 〃his own creatures will see
to that。 They are already commencing to realize the horrible crime he
has committed against them； and when once they are fully aroused there
will be no safety for any of us。 If you wish to leave the island at all it
will be best for you to accept my proposal and leave while your head yet
remains upon your shoulders。 Were we to suggest to the professor that
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he leave now he would not only refuse but he would take steps to make it
impossible for any of us to leave； even to sinking the Ithaca。 The man is
madquite madBududreen； and we cannot longer jeopardize our own
throats merely to humor his crazy and criminal whims。〃
The Malay was thinking fast； and could von Horn have guessed what
thoughts raced through the tortuous channels of that semi…barbarous brain
he would have wished himself safely housed in the American prison where
he belonged。
〃When do you wish to sail？〃 asked the Malay。
〃Tonight；〃 replied von Horn； and together they matured their plans。
An hour later the second mate with six men disappeared into the jungle
toward the harbor。 They； with the three on watch； were to get the vessel in
readiness for immediate departure。
After the evening meal von Horn sat on the verandah with Virginia
Maxon until the Professor came from the workshop to retire for the night。
As he passed them he stopped for a word with von Horn； taking him aside
out of the girl's hearing。
〃Have you noticed anything peculiar in the actions of Thirteen？〃 asked
the older man。 〃He was sullen and morose this evening； and at times
there was a strange； wild light in his eyes as he looked at me。 Can it be
possible that； after all； his brain is defective？ It would be terrible。 My
work would have gone for naught； for I can see no way in which I can
improve upon him。〃
〃I will go and have a talk with him later；〃 said von Horn； 〃so if you
hear us moving about in the workshop； or even out here in the campong
think nothing of it。 I may take him for a long walk。 It is possible that the
hard study and close confinement to that little building have been too
severe upon his brain and nerves。 A long walk each evening may bring
him around all right。〃
〃Splendidsplendid；〃 replied the professor。 〃You may be quite right。
Do it by all means； my dear doctor；〃 and there was a touch of the old；
friendly； sane tone which had been so long missing； that almost caused
von Horn to feel a trace of compunction for the hideous act of disloyalty
that he was on the verge of perpetrating。
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As Professor Maxon entered the house von Horn returned to Virginia
and suggested that they take a short walk outside the campong before
retiring。 The girl readily acquiesced to the plan； and a moment later
found them strolling through the clearing toward the southern end of the
camp。 In the dark shadows of the gateway leading to the men's enclosure
a figure crouched。 The girl did not see it； but as they came opposite it von
Horn coughed twice； and then the two passed on toward the edge of the
jungle
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6 TO KILL！
The Rajah Muda Saffir； tiring of the excuses and delays which
Bududreen interposed to postpone the fulfillment of his agreement with
the former； whereby he was to deliver into the hands of the rajah a certain
beautiful maiden； decided at last to act upon his own initiative。 The truth
of the matter was that he had come to suspect the motives of the first mate
of the Ithaca； and not knowing of the great chest attributed them to
Bududreen's desire to possess the girl for himself。
So it was that as the second mate of the Ithaca with his six men wad
